Over her impressive 70-year reign, the Queen has been considered a fashion icon by many — and it's easy to see why. From her gorgeous formal gowns to her stylish coats and dresses, there are so many fantastic looks of hers to choose from. But as beautiful as these outfits are, it’s the dazzling jewellery she chooses that completes her look. Whether she's wearing a regal crown or a simple pair of pearl earrings, her accessories are always the stars of the show.
To celebrate her fantastic style over the last 70 years, read this round-up of five of the Queen's most iconic pieces of jewellery.
The King George VI Victorian Suite
This stunning sapphire and diamond set is believed to be one of the most precious for the Queen, and it looks fantastic too. The set of necklace and earrings was gifted to her by her father, King George VI, as a wedding gift for her marriage to the late Prince Phillip. It's believed that the set was made all the way back in 1850, so the accessories were already vintage by the time Her Majesty received them.
The pair of hanging earrings consist of one oblong sapphire stone, and are surrounded by beautiful sparkling diamonds. They perfectly complement the necklace, which is also made up of oblong sapphire gems that are surrounded by diamonds. And in 1959, she transformed the wedding gift from a set of two to a set of three, by shortening the necklace and turning the removed sapphire gem into a broach — the Queen was upcycling before it was cool! She's been spotted in the set many times, including on a tour of Kenya in 1952 before she began her reign, and in 2015 at a formal dinner with Xi Jinping.
Grima Ruby (Scarab) Brooch
Another sentimental piece from the Queen's jewellery box is her Grima Ruby brooch, otherwise known as her Scarab brooch. Her Majesty was gifted this stunning piece by Prince Phillip in 1966. It was designed by Andrew Grima, one of the most prominent and respected jewellery designers at the time. Grima also designed a gold brooch for Her Majesty's younger sister, Princess Margaret.
This yellow gold broach contains over 20 carats of ruby, with one large central ruby being surrounded by smaller rubies and diamonds. It's an incredibly unique and eye-catching piece, and the brooch is always paired perfectly with stylish and colourful outfits. She's been spotted in this brooch a number of times, including on her golden jubilee tour, her platinum anniversary portraits, and at the late Prince Phillip's memorial service.
The Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara
This is undoubtedly one of the most recognisable pieces of the Queen's jewellery for people across the UK. In fact, it's the tiara Her Majesty is wearing in the iconic image of her that’s used on banknotes and coins made by the Bank of England. However, this elegant tiara did not originally belong to the Queen, as it was given as a gift to Princess Mary of Teck for her wedding to Prince Albert who was the heir to the throne. Unfortunately, the prince sadly passed away before the couple were able to tie the knot. But Mary still became Queen, as she went on to marry King George V. In 1947, Queen Mary gifted the tiara to her granddaughter and future queen, Elizabeth.
This stunning tiara originally had pearls at the top, but Queen Mary replaced these with thirteen dazzling diamonds. The former Queen Consort also removed the base so it could be worn as a headband, but Queen Elizabeth II reattached it to give the tiara some extra height. It's said that the Queen refers to this regal piece as "granny's tiara", making it another both stunning and sentimental piece of jewellery.
Bahrain Pearl Drop Earrings
These simple yet elegant earrings were believed to be an early favourite of the Queen. This set was made using two of the seven pearls gifted to the Queen by the Hakim of Bahrain for her wedding in 1947. She's been seen wearing this gorgeous pair of earrings on a number of occasions, especially in the early years of her reign, including in two official royal portraits. The earrings themselves are simple yet sophisticated. They’re made up of a selection of round and baguette cut diamonds, and of course the two pearls, which drop from the earrings.
While the Queen hasn't been spotted wearing them as often recently, she's generously loaned them out to other royal women over the years, including Princess Diana and the Duchess of Cambridge. Most recently, Kate Middleton was photographed wearing the set as a touching tribute to Prince Phillip at his funeral.
The Queen's engagement ring
This list wouldn't be complete without a mention of the Queen's stunning engagement ring. The ring was designed by Prince Phillip, using the diamonds in a tiara that belonged to his mother. This is believed to have started a tradition within the Royal Family, as Prince William's engagement ring to the Duchess of Cambridge was the one Prince Charles proposed to Princess Diana with.
The platinum ring has a 3 carat round diamond centre stone, and is flanked by 10 smaller diamonds. However, as the original tiara still had diamonds left to use, Prince Phillip went on to design a stunning art deco inspired diamond and platinum bracelet as a wedding gift for the Queen too. Her Majesty has been seen wearing this one-of-a-kind bracelet in an official royal photograph in 2015, and it was worn by Kate Middleton the same year at a state banquet.
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